45930 Divine Call CTCR final - The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod

visiting the sick and may snap at people when they come
to see him; and he may fall into many of the other sins that
appear in the lives of pastors. 54
He does not expressly state, however, that a pastor who is guilty of any of
the offenses listed here ought as a result to be deposed. He does point out
that “a congregation has the right to admonish such a pastor, and to remind
him of his duty....”(emphasis added). 55 Such admonition, however, may be
to no avail without the backing of an evangelical Lutheran synod. Two
paragraphs later Walther contends,
You see, a synod will always support the congregation if it
can prove that its pastor is unfaithful to his office, lazy,
indifferent, immoral, power-hungry, stubborn, or is living
in manifest sins. Through the District President the Synod
will visit the congregation and will support those who are
right. He may know best how to disarm those who support
the unfaithful, wicked pastor (emphasis added). 56
The question may be asked, does Walther’s reference here to “disarming”
those who support an “unfaithful, wicked pastor” imply that a congregation
has the right to remove a pastor who is guilty of any of those listed
behaviors and attitudes?
In his essay to the Iowa District convention Walther seems to offer yet
another reason for the removal of a pastor, namely, a domineering spirit. In
Thesis II he submits that an evangelical Lutheran synod should “protect
them [congregations] against pastors who err in doctrine, follow an offensive
life-style, and are domineering in their office.” 57 As if to emphasize the
point, Walther opens his discussion of this part of Thesis II by noting that
his hearers should not think “that the congregation cannot depose anyone
because of godless living and that it cannot get rid of one who oversteps his
authority and proves to be domineering.…” (emphasis added). 58 Walther proceeds
to discuss the matter on the basis of 3 John 9-10. In this passage John
mentions Diotrephes, who is a bishop or pastor who wants to be “Number
One” (philoprōteuōn). Diotrephes
loved power and honor, was a proud and arrogant bishop.
He wouldn’t even listen to the apostle John. He would
say, “What do I care about him?” Then John adds, “There-
54
Walther, Essays, 2:36.
55
Ibid.
56
Walther, Essays, 2:37.
57
Walther, Essays, 2:25, 35.
58
Walther, Essays, 2:35.
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